Sales of singles in the UK have slumped to their lowest point for 10 years.

They got a much-needed boost from Pop Idol in 2002, but now they've nose-dived again.

Are singles good value for money? Or are you downloading your fave tracks off the web?

I love buying singles. I have 127 singles and I'm only 11 but I do get CD's copied from the internet from time to time from proper sites where you pay.

Amy-louise, 11, Plymouth

I don't buy singles coz' I always buy the album when it comes out and half the songs you have already bought on a single are in the album!!!!!

Katie, 13

Singles aren't a waste of money but albums are better value. Sometimes you only like one track off an album so that is when you should buy a single.

Lucy, 14, Cheltenham

I never buy singles. All you get is one song and a remix of that song, and it costs about $3.75. You can just buy the whole CD for about $13. But now, a lot of people don't even bother to do that because lots of people download music.

Rachel, 14, NYC, USA

Singles are to overpriced. If they were down in price more peeps would feel better about getting them and not wasting their money.

Vikki, 12, Maidenhead

Singles are a rip off. One single costs £3 and an album costs around £12. So if you bought four singles, that would be the same as an entire album, £12. You're better buying the album because then you get the four singles and around eight other tracks!

Chloe, 13, Norfolk

Singles are not a waste of money because you could like one song they did and hate the rest of the songs that they release on the album.

Hollie, 15

I think buying singles is alright but I would rather buy an album. Singles are a good idea if you only like that one song.

Michelle, 11, Edinburgh

No, not really. cause otherwise you have to buy the ENTIRE album just to listen to 1 song!

Susan, 13, Wiltshire

Albums are more of a waste of money, because you might only get 3 songs that you really want.

Amanda, 13, N Ireland

I think they r a total waste of money!! £4 for one song is a bit steep, I just download music or copy my mates' cd's. I know it's illegal but if music wasn't so expensive people wouldn't be driven to illegal ways of getting their music!!

Sarah, 15, Chelmsford

I think they are a rip off so I don¿t buy them - Downloadin 'ems the way forward innit! :)

Lucy, Chingford

I'm either way. Without singles we wouldn't have a pop chart, but why buy a single when for a bit more money you can get lots more songs?

Ruth, 11, Bristol

I think singles r a waste of money. When I hear a good tune I wait for that band's album to come out.

Anika, 14, Leicester

I'm not very good at saving up so singles are easier to get hold of than albums, but albums are definitely better.

Beatrice, 14, France

I just buy albums because singles are too expensive for what u get but if people keep downloading everything record companies aren't gonna do very well

Jane, 15, Stockport

I reckon singles aren't a waste of money cos if you hear a song and you really like it, but you haven't heard any of the bands other stuff, then you can just buy the song on single. It would be silly to buy an album based on one song and then find out you hated the other tunes.

Lucy, 13, Markfield

It depends really. I only buy singles if it's a song I really can't do without. But they are very overpriced so I mainly buy albums. Albums are about the price of two or three singles and it's amazing how much you get on some albums. Why waste all that cash on singles?!

Daniel, 12, Northampton

What's the point? For about £5 more you could buy the album which would cost a lot less than buying every single separately!

Alaa, 11, Belfast

I always buy the albums instead of the singles, cos if you buy 13 £3.99 singles, it'll cost much more than the album - you just have to wait a little longer for it to come out, that's all

Amy, 10, Hastings

I think singles and albums are way overpriced! I also think, yeah ok, singles give us programs like TOTP but I prefer just to buy the album.

Natalie, 14, UK

I don't think they are a waste of money cos u get extras on there like b-sides which u only get on the singles. Also u r helping ur fave band 2 get a good chart position:)

Chloe, Essex

I think they are a waste of money but I buy them anyway!

Sophie, 11, Leicester

Singles nowadays are really expensive, it's better to buy albums instead, it's a lot better value. The only time it's good to buy singles (in my point of view) is when you only like/want that song, otherwise it's pointless.

Sarah, 11, Stockport

Singles are way too expensive. If they were cheaper I would buy them but they're such a rip off. I only buy albums.

Hannah, 13, Leics

I think singles are a waste of money. You can easily download a song, request it on radio, or catch it on a music channel. There's no point in buying music these days, as there are many other, cheaper ways to listen to your fave single or album.

Sophie, 13, South Cheshire

They're perfect for if you want one song and don't want to shell out for the album!

Amy, Essex

OK so they r expensive but if the single's really gud but the album's really rubbish then I wud buy it! Cos I'm music mad!

Lisa, 13, Manchester

Singles are WAY too expensive. It's easier to wait a few weeks or so for the album to come out then you get that song plus tons of others. The problem is though that if you like a lot of artists and you don't have much money, like me, then you have to either download the song and burn it onto CD or get a friend to copy it for you. The music industry has only itself to blame for lost sales.

Vikki, 13, Kettering

Singles are over priced completely and with artists taking all or at least the majority of singles off their albums, the reason for singles is being lost! Why should we pay almost £5 for something that I already have on another cd? I really don't get it!

Keri, 15, Morpeth

Well, yes and no. I don't like the price of them, I mean, you should only be paying about £1.20 for a single. But then again it means you can listen to your fave song and not have to wait for the album. AND the album might only have 2 songs that you like on it and it`ll be a waste of £12.00

Sarah, 11, Northern Ireland

I agree that singles do cost too much, but they also give us something to hear about, watch and listen to. I really love music so I think that singles should stay!

Georgia, 9, Brighton

I don't see the point of singles and rather just spend another 5 pounds and buy their albums

Natasha, 12, Essex

Albums and singles are too expensive. Who wants to spend a bomb when u can download it for free?

Sabira, 11, Slough

CDs are really expensive and the album is a lot better value for money you lots more songs

Louise, 14, Suffolk

I don't know and I don't really care coz I download my things!!

Zoe, 11, West Midlands

I think they are a definite waste of money. If you buy the album (if there is one) you get that song, and get to try out some of the other songs by the same artist that may not be released as singles, than if you didn't, and missed out.

Abi, 12, Exeter

I usually buy albums but I buy singles if an artist has one decent song and the others are rubbish.

Josh, 11, Surrey

A complete waste of money. If I like the single I'll wait until the band release some more off their album. Then, if I like them I'll buy the album and if it's only the one song I like...well, I can probably do without it. If I can't I'll download it.

Rhiannon, 15

Singles should just be £2.00. That's for 3 songs , That's what they are worth

Vicki, 15, N Ireland

Singles are stupid. For a 11 or 12 track album it only costs £10 or so, but for a single, it costs about £4 just for one song!

Sarah, Somerset

Albums are about £10, and you get about 15 songs, so a single should cost about 75p if they're good value!

Sophie, 10, Gosport

I am not allowed to buy singles and I think they are a waste of money! I listen to the charts on Sunday but I have never bought one myself! I think albums are a lot better.

Catherine, 11, Pinner

I'd rather wait for the album to come out personally. I used to buy singles but I get bored of them

Leah, 13, Reading

I never buy singles, if I like a song enough there's a good chance I'll like the whole artist's album. This downloading is a huge problem and I personally think it's disgusting that any self-respecting FAN would download their favourite artist's music off the internet because you should support them. I understand money is a problem, if you don't have much, but a majority of people that download have the average amount of pocket money.

I think buying singles is a complete waste of money because you can just buy the album

Nicola, 15, Stockport

Definitely! You only get about 3 songs on them anyway, often just remixes, and all the single songs are on the album so it's cheaper to get that!

Elizabeth, 12, Ipswich

They're a waste of money, if you like lots of different songs why not buy a compilation disk, that way all of your favourite songs will be on one or two CDs. It's cheaper and easier as you don't have to mess about with all the cases.

Rachel, 13, Lincoln

I think singles are NOT a waste of money. If you buy a single, you get the song you really want, although, if you buy a album, you might only like a few songs, and not the rest.

Ali, 14, Australia

I think that they are not good value for money as you have to pay about £4 for one song.

Gemma, 13, Draperstown

No!! Of course they're not a waste of money! They're cheap for a start, which is more than you can say for albums, but I only buy singles of artists I really like, otherwise I just download.

Emma, 12, York

Singles are NOT a waste of money! Sweets are, as they aren't good for you, so what are these pathetic complaints for? Anyway, singles are entertaining, not money wasting. Yes to the best, no to the go! And our money needs to go somewhere, anyway, and at least our mums and dads don't have to pay as much on the tax fees, so our money buys us more clothes and fun stuff from our parents, uncles, aunts, and or course, grandparents!

Natasha, 11, Essex

I just buy a blank tape and record off the radio. It is less expensive and they make gr8 presents!

Louise, 12, Chelmsford

I think albums are way better than singles also Malachi of Fame Academy is da best!!

Kathryn, 12, Co Antrim

I think singles are worth buying if they are a really good band or it is a really good track and you know you aren't going to buy the album. I do believe if you're buying your favourite bands singles then you should wait till the album comes out and enjoy all their songs on one CD and it saves money as well.

Graihagh, 16, Isle of Man

I buy singles and albums because on singles you get the track and extras like videos and other songs you wouldn't get on albums!

Laura, 13, Southampton

I think singles are a waste of money because before you know it the song is out of the charts and the artist releases a new song, most people I know tape songs off the radio!

Nikki, 14, Sidcup

I think singles are a waste of money because you get the song on the artist album. So I just save up for the album.

Rebecca, 13, Derby

I think CDs are a waste of many the CDs are aimed at kids but once we've bought one single that's all your pocket money gone and you can't buy any more I prefer to download them really!

Sara, 13, Bedfordshire

If the album was not coming out for ages I would buy the single, but if it was out the next week I would not.

Naomi, 12, Jersey

I don't think singles are that expensive because usually you do get a couple of extra songs on it.

Danyka, 12, Cornwall

Singles are a waste of money. but if the album isn't out yet maybe they are the best option till then.

Ellie, 13, London

I think singles are great, but sometimes they are quite dear! Like if you want some new hits which you think are banging tunes then you just get how many of the songs you like.

Lyndsay, 14, Glasgow

On the whole, I think albums are better value for money, but I think CD's are overpriced anyway, so downloading is my favourite option.

Ceri, 14, Monmouth

Why waste money on singles or albums? I just download them.

Louise, 11, Glasgow

What is the point of singles? I mean if you save up for the album which isn't that much more then you get about 10 more songs on it, but on some singles the songs are sometimes repeated anyway.

Josie, 13, Lewis

They are a waste of money because the songs come out on albums but they help your favourite bands get to number one.

Craig, 12, Canterbury

They're good if you don't really like the artist but you like one of their hits.

Judith, 14, Edinburgh

What's the point? We can get the same track on an album with lots of other tracks for just a few pounds more!

Craig, 12, Scotland

What's the point of singles? For a little bit more I can buy the album.

Niall, 11, Bangor

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